Dryer Having a Direct Drive Fan
A dryer is provided with a direct drive fan assembly for circulating air through a drying chamber formed in the dryer. The direct drive fan assembly includes a fan plug mounted to the dryer and a fan rotatively mounted adjacent an interior side of the fan plug. A load adapter is secured to the fan plug and projects outwardly therefrom. A motor is mounted to the load adapter via a motor adapter. There is provided a continuous drive shaft assembly from the motor, through the motor adapter, through the load adapter, and through the fan plug. The drive assembly connects to the fan disposed adjacent the interior side of the fan plug.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from the following U.S. provisional application: Application Ser. No. 61/692881 filed on Aug. 24, 2012. That application is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to hygienic dryers for drying foodstuffs and related products.
BACKGROUNDDryers are used for removing moisture from various materials, including foodstuffs. Such dryers typically include means for providing heated air to the material to be dried. These means typically include fans or blowers that are driven by electric motors. Generally, the electric motor is supported on a framework and a motor output shaft of the motor is coupled to fan input shaft using a belt drive power transmission system.
Drying systems used for drying foodstuffs for human consumption are typically required to meet rigorous hygienic requirements. Meeting such requirements includes a wide array of considerations, such as cleanliness in the operation of electrical and mechanical components and simplicity and ease of maintenance of such components.
There is a need to develop a drive system for dryer fans that meets the rigorous hygienic requirements imposed on drying systems, especially those used to dry food products consumed by humans. In particular, there is a need to develop a direct drive system for dryer fans that reduces the potential for wear particles to be emitted, and at the same time is energy efficient and easy to service and maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA conveyor dryer for drying or conditioning foodstuff is disclosed. The dryer comprises a housing structure, a drying chamber, a burner unit for heating air, and a fan disposed within the housing structure for circulating heating or conditioning air through the drying chamber. A direct drive assembly is provided for driving the fan. The direct drive assembly, in one embodiment, includes a fan plug or panel that is secured to the dryer housing structure adjacent the fan. An electric motor having an output shaft is operatively connected to a load adapter via a drive coupling. The load adapter is secured to the fan plug and includes an output shaft that extends through the fan plug and is operatively connected to the fan for driving the fan. A motor mount or adapter is operatively interconnected between the motor and the load adapter. Thus the motor, load adapter, drive coupling and motor mount is supported in cantilever fashion by the fan plug.
In one embodiment, the motor mount operatively connected between the electric motor and the load adapter comprises a housing or enclosure that generally encloses the drive coupling connected between the output shaft of the motor and the load adapter.
In one particular embodiment, the present invention comprises a dryer for drying product. The dryer includes a housing, a drying chamber formed in the housing of the dryer, a burner unit for heating air used to dry the product, and a direct drive fan assembly for circulating air through the drying chamber. The direct drive fan assembly includes a fan plug mounted to the dryer and a fan rotatively mounted adjacent an interior side of the fan plug. A load adapter is mounted to the fan plug and is supported by the fan plug. The load adapter projects outwardly from an exterior side of the fan plug. The load adapter includes a drive shaft or drive assembly extending through the fan plug and operatively connected to the fan for driving the fan. A motor adapter or motor mount is mounted or secured to the load adapter and projects therefrom. A motor is mounted to the motor adapter such that the motor adapter is disposed generally between the motor and the load adapter. The motor includes an output shaft that projects through at least a portion of the motor adapter and is operatively connected to the drive shaft of the load adapter such that torque generated by the motor is transferred to the drive shaft of the load adapter, which in turn is operative to drive the fan.
The dryer disclosed herein can also be described as including a dryer housing and a drying chamber formed in the dryer. A burner unit is provided for heating air to dry a product. A direct drive fan assembly is provided for circulating air through the drying chamber. The direct drive fan assembly comprises a fan plug mounted to the dryer, a fan mounted on the interior side of the fan plug, a load adapter secured to the fan plug and projected outwardly therefrom on the opposite side of the fan plug from the fan, the load adapter having a housing, a motor mount or motor adapter secured to the load adapter opposite the fan plug, the motor adapter including a housing having an open area therein, and a motor mounted to the motor adapter opposite the load adapter and including an output shaft. There is provided means extending through the housing of the motor adapter, through the housing of the load adapter and through the fan plug and operatively connected to the fan for transferring driving torque from the output shaft of the motor to the fan for driving the fan.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention
With further reference to the drawings, the dryer of the present invention is shown therein and indicated generally by the numeral 100. Dryer 100 is a commercial or industrial dryer that is utilized to dry a wide variety of products, particularly food products such as cereal, grains, fruits and vegetables as well as animal feed. Details of the dryer are not dealt with herein because such is not per se material to the present invention and because dryers of the type shown in
A brief description of the dryer 100 is in order. Dryer 100, in this example, is a conveyor dryer and basically comprises a housing structure that includes a top 100A, opposed sides 100B, a bottom 100C and a support structure 100D. In addition, the dryer 100 includes opposed ends (not shown).
Formed internally within the dryer 100 is a drying or conditioning chamber indicated generally by the numeral 102. Drying or conditioning chamber 102 is formed or surrounded by an intermediate upper wall 106 that, together with the top 100A of the dryer, forms an upper plenum 104.
Dryer 100 also includes a system for generating and circulating a system of heated or conditioned air. In this regard, disposed about an upper side portion of the drying structure is a burner unit indicated generally by the numeral 108. Disposed opposite the burner unit 108 is a direct dry fan assembly indicated generally by the numeral 10. As illustrated in
Drying chamber 102, in some embodiments, is designed to include a number of interchangeable panels that permit airflow to be directed in various directions through the drying chamber 102. Thus, the air pattern through the drying chamber 102 can be varied or reversed by simply rearranging panels within the dryer. For example, instead of the air moving upwardly through the conveyor 114, by selectively rearranging interchangeable panels within the dryer, the air can be directed into the drying chamber 102 above the conveyor 114 and then downwardly through the conveyor and the material thereon and out a side opening underneath the conveyor after which the air is recirculated back past the burner unit 108.
For a more complete and unified understanding of the basic structure and operation of conventional dryers, one is referred to dryers manufactured and sold by Buhler Aeroglide Corporation, headquartered in Cary, N.C., USA.
With reference particularly to
Considering power transmission from motor 30 to fan 20, a motor output shaft 34 and an input shaft 64 of load adapter 60 are mechanically connected by a drive coupling 80 that is enclosed within motor adapter 70 as shown in
Fan 20 comprises the fan wheel 22 which includes a hub 24 secured to output shaft 66 of load adapter 60 as shown in
Fan plug 50 is particularly shown in
Vertical support rib 52 comprises an elongated channel and is disposed generally within a cavity formed between the pan 51 and face plate 56 with the concave aspect of the channel facing the pan 51. Rib 52 extends between upper and lower lips and lies generally parallel with and is generally centered between the side lips. Vertical support rib 52 also includes a rib opening 52A (
Load adapter mounting plate 55 in one embodiment comprises a generally annular ring having a pair of threaded openings (
Face plate 56 comprises a thin, generally flat panel having an opening 56A for receiving mounting plate 55 and a vent opening 56B. Plate 56 is disposed against the outer face of ribs 52 and 53 such that the plate extends onto the lips or perimeter 51A (
Check valve 57 comprises a pressure relief valve for venting the sealed cavity formed between the face plate 56 and the back portion of the pan 51 See
Considering now load adapter 60, the adapter forms a power transmission component that resists bending of a driveline due to overhung loads such as those due to the weight of motor 30 and the other components of the sub-assembly. Adapter 60 generally comprises an adapter body 62 and through shafting, opposite end portions of which form the adapter input shaft 64 and the adapter output shaft 66. In one embodiment, the adapter input shaft 64 and the adapter output shaft 66 are integral and form a single shaft rotatably mounted in bearings. One example of the load adapter is the OHLA Special from Zero-Max, Inc. 13200 Sixth Avenue North, Plymouth, Minn. 55441.
Turning now to motor adapter 70 and referring particularly to
The drive coupling 80 forms the power transmission connection between motor output shaft 34 and load adapter 60 and is mechanically secured to both shafts 34 and 64 as shown in
As appreciated from the foregoing discussion, power produced by the motor 30 is directed to the motor output shaft 34. Coupling 80 interconnects the motor output shaft 34 with the load adapter input shaft 64. Consequently, torque generated by the motor output shaft 34 is transferred to the adapter input shaft 64. The coupling assembly 80 is enclosed by the motor mount or adapter 70 which structurally connects the motor 30 to the load adapter 60. Thereafter, it is appreciated that torque transfer to the load adapter input shaft 64 is directed to the hub 24 of the fan 20. As discussed above, the fan plug 50 is structurally designed to support the entire direct fan drive assembly 10. See
Therefore it is appreciated that the direct drive fan assembly 10 as depicted in
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
Claims
1. A dryer for drying a product, comprising:
- a housing;
- a drying chamber formed in the housing of the dryer;
- a burner unit for heating air used to dry the product;
- a direct drive fan assembly for circulating air through the drying chamber, the direct drive fan assembly comprising: (i) a fan plug mounted to the dryer; (ii) a fan rotatively mounted adjacent an interior side of the fan plug; (iii) a load adapter mounted to the fan plug and supported by the fan plug and projecting outwardly from an exterior side of the fan plug; (iv) the load adapter including a drive shaft extending through the fan plug and operatively connected to the fan for driving the fan; (v) a motor adapter mounted to the load adapter and projecting therefrom; (vi) a motor mounted to the motor adapter such that the motor adapter is disposed generally between the motor and the load adapter; and (v) the motor including an output shaft that projects through at least a portion of the motor adapter and is operatively connected to the drive shaft of the load adapter such that torque generated by the motor is transferred to the drive shaft of the load adapter, which in turn is operative to drive the fan.
2. The dryer of claim 1 wherein the fan plug includes a panel detachably mounted to the dryer and wherein the fan plug supports the load adapter, motor adapter and motor in cantilever fashion.
3. The dryer of claim 2 wherein the fan plug includes at least one rib and a load adapter mounting plate disposed on the rib for connecting to the load adapter.
4. The dryer of claim 1 wherein the fan plug includes a fabricated panel that is detachably mounted to the dryer and wherein the fabricated panel includes: a face plate that faces the motor; at least one rib formed interiorly of the face plate; a load adapter mounting structure formed on the rib for interfacing with the load adapter; and a shaft opening aligned with the load adapter mounting structure and extending through the fabricated panel.
5. The dryer of claim 4 wherein the fabricated panel that forms the fan plug includes a back spaced from the face plate and wherein there is an open area defined between the face plate and back.
6. The dryer of claim 1 wherein the motor adapter includes a housing having an open area therein, and wherein the output shaft of the motor projects into the open area of the motor adapter; wherein the drive shaft of the load adapter includes an input shaft that projects into the open area of the housing of the motor adapter; and wherein there is provided a coupling disposed in the open area of the housing of the motor adapter that couples the output shaft of the motor to the input shaft of the drive shaft of the load adapter.
7. The dryer of claim 6 wherein the drive shaft of the load adapter is a one piece drive shaft rotatively mounted in a load adapter housing and wherein the one piece drive shaft projects from the load adapter housing into both the housing of the motor adapter and through the fan plug, and wherein the one piece drive shaft is operatively connected to the output shaft of the motor and to the fan.
8. The dryer of claim 1 wherein the fan plug includes a fabricated panel having a back and at least one rib disposed adjacent the back; and a load adapter mounting structure formed on the rib for interfacing with the load adapter.
9. The dryer of claim 8 wherein the fan plug includes a face panel spaced outwardly from the back of the fan plug so as to define an open space between the face panel and the back.
10. The dryer of claim 1 wherein the fan plug includes at least one cavity formed therein, and wherein the fan plug is provided with a pressure relief valve for venting the cavity.
11. The dryer of claim 1 wherein the motor adapter includes a housing having an open area and wherein the output shaft of the motor projects into the housing of the motor adapter; and wherein the drive shaft of the load adapter includes an input end that also projects into the housing of the motor adapter; and a coupling disposed in the housing of the motor adapter that interconnects the output shaft of the motor with the input end of the drive shaft of the load adapter.
12. The dryer of claim 11 wherein the drive shaft of the load adapter is a one piece drive shaft having an output end that projects through the fan plug and connects to a hub forming a part of the fan.
13. The dryer of claim 1 including at least a pair of bolts that project from the motor adapter through the load adapter and connects to a mounting structure forming a part of the fan plug.
14. A dryer for drying a product comprising:
- a housing;
- a drying chamber formed in the dryer;
- a burner unit for heating air to dry the product;
- a direct drive fan assembly for circulating air through the drying chamber; the direct drive fan assembly comprising: (i) a fan plug secured to the dryer; (ii) a fan mounted on an interior side of the fan plug; (iii) a load adapter secured to the fan plug and projecting outwardly therefrom on the opposite side of the fan plug from the fan; (iv) the load adapter having a housing; (v) a motor adapter secured to the load adapter opposite the fan plug; (vi) the motor adapter including a housing having an open area therein; (vii) a motor mounted to the motor adapter opposite the load adapter, the motor having an output shaft; and (viii) means extending through the housing of the motor adapter, through the housing of the load adapter and through the fan plug and operatively connected to the fan for transferring driving torque from the output shaft of the motor to the fan for rotatively driving the fan.
15. The dryer of claim 14 wherein said means comprises a continuous drive shaft assembly that is operatively connected between the output shaft of the motor and the fan and which extends through the motor adapter, through the load adapter, and through the fan plug.
16. The dryer of claim 15 wherein the fan plug supports the load adapter, which in turn supports the motor and motor adapter in cantilever fashion.
17. The dryer of claim 14 wherein the fan plug includes an interior open space and wherein the fan plug includes a pressure relief valve for venting the interior open space.
18. The dryer of claim 14 wherein the fan plug includes a fabricated panel having spaced apart exterior and interior sides and wherein there is provided at least one reinforcing structure disposed between the interior and exterior sides and wherein there is provided a load adapter connecting structure secured to the reinforcing structure that is operatively connected to the load adapter.
19. The dryer of claim 14 wherein said means includes a drive shaft rotatively mounted in the load adapter and wherein a portion of the drive shaft projects into the housing of the motor adapter; and wherein said means further includes a coupler disposed in the housing of the motor adapter for coupling the drive shaft with the output shaft of the motor.
20. The dryer of claim 19 wherein the drive shaft rotatively mounted in the load adapter includes another portion of the drive shaft that projects through the fan plug and is operatively connected to the fan for driving the same.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 21, 2013
Publication Date: Feb 27, 2014
Applicant: Buhler Aeroglide Corporation (Cary, NC)
Inventors: Justin M. Schreiber (Raleigh, NC), Steve Blackowiak (Clayton, NC)
Application Number: 13/972,404
International Classification: A23L 3/40 (20060101);